My Religious Ramblings...

So today is the National Day of Prayer.  When I was in high school we stood around the flagpole at school before the buses started to arrive.  As I have gotten older it has morphed into just another day where I hear the day used for political gain.  

I may not stand on a soapbox and preach my beliefs to everyone who slows down long enough to listen, but I do have them. Maybe I am supposed to I don't know.

In my opinion I feel like I can convey more about what I believe and who I am by my actions than by preaching.  Anymore when I see Christianity portrayed the person is either an idiot or a judgmental ass or using it to gain some kind of ground, personal or political.  That really leaves a bad taste in the mouths of the people who actually NEED to hear about Jesus, and when anyone with honest intentions comes they are at the eye roll point or automatically file us with those other types of people.   

The big question that I always want to answer but don't want to look like a crazy when I do is yes, it IS the job of Christians to spread the word of Christ. Matthew 28:19 says "Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit."  But the entire story is NOT the fire and brimstone that I hear so many times associated with the sharing of Christianity, nor is it the cheesy lovey dovey stuff.  Yes, both have their place in Christianity, but they aren't the only parts.  Just like in politics where people judge the party by the extremes (liberal/conservative) Christianity is judged by its own extremes.

Now for me personally, I believe that there was a perfect person to walk this earth and that man was named Jesus.  I believe he was real and I believe he died and rose again so that those who believe in Him may be forgiven of their sins.  I wish he would have appeared to more people to remove all doubt, but I don't guess it's my place to tell Jesus what to do.  

On the lovey dovey side of the table, I do believe that Jesus loves us and is with us and I have seen miracles before that can only be explained by divine intervention.  I believe in answered prayers, although I joke I would prefer a bright neon sign as an answer to my prayers, I believe that God opens doors for us.  I believe that people enter our lives for a reason and I usually don't figure out that reason until long after they have gone from my life!  

On the fire and brimstone side of the table, I do believe that revelation is real, and I am starting to believe we are living in the end times.  Even though I am a believer and am confident where I will be going in the next life, I am not afraid to admit I am a little scared of the transition.  I don't want my kids to suffer if the earth goes through the strife that revelation prophesizes and what I am starting to think we are seeing the beginnings of...that terrifies me.  That may make me a bad Christian-waivering faith, whatever.  I am a mommy who doesn't want to see my babies hurt, hungry or in pain. 

I guess that is really why we need the day of prayer...to kick us in the butt that we need to get our priorities in order.  For a Christian we shouldn't need a designated day of prayer...we should be praying every day.